According to reports, 11 of the 12 game balls they provided for the rain-affected match were under-inflated by about two pounds per square inch, giving Brady more grip in the cold and wet conditions.

Brady was "at least generally aware of inappropriate activities", according to the independent Wells Report.

The New England Patriots quarterback will not receive any pay during his ban, while the team were fined $1m (£642,000).

But Yee and Patriots owner Robert Kraft was both highly critical of the NFL investigation.

"In my opinion, this outcome was pre-determined; there was no fairness in the Wells investigation whatsoever," said Yee. "I am very confident the Wells Report will be exposed as an incredibly frail exercise in fact-finding and logic."